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In approaching any patient who presents with a medical problem, knowing the duration of an illness is of course critical. Knowing results of Tests that were done is critical. Knowing the timing of any prior interventions is critical. So these have been incorporated in the questionnaire.

The nature of this illness includes periods of waxing and waning of symptoms.

Recurrences are possible and in fact take place.

It is also a bit unusual that this illness at times is not diagnosed by a physician, and that tests vary in positivity. This does not necessarily result in a patient (or respondent) no longer identifying with not having the disease after all.

As is usually the case, diagnostic tests can be positive or negative. Often, that excludes an illness altogether. Especially with tests that have been firmly established in the Medical armementarium of diagnostic tools. If a patient's X-ray of a sore leg shows a fracture, it is difficult to conclude otherwise. Of course much less often, an X-ray of such a limb may show no abnormality when a fracture is in fact present. Usually, if several tests used to support a good History & Physical examination with together to suggest or rule out a diagnosis, That usually works to successfully name the disease.

In the case of COVID-19, and including what is considerd the "long-term" variant, the tests are as novel as the virus that causes the illness. So specific levels of test sensitivity and specificity are still being established.

These distinction were sought (and found) and put to good use in the questionnaire.

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